RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – LSU sophomore golfer Austin Ernst finished 49th in the LPGA’s first major championship, the Kraft Nabisco Championship at the Mission Hills Country Club here Sunday.
Sun Young Yoo won the event in a one hole playoff after I.K. Kim missed a two-foot tap-in on the 72nd hole.
Ernst shot a 5-over 77 on the final day to finish 72 holes at 4-over 292 (77-70-68-77) to finish 49th among the 82 players who made the cut.
After the round, Ernst tweeted, “Had a tough finish, but it was a great tournament and a great experience.”
The only collegiate player in the LPGA major, Ernst now will return to LSU to prepare for the Lady Tigers post-season that begins April 19-21 with the Southeastern Conference Women’s Championships at The Blessings course in Fayetteville, Ark. Ernst is the defending NCAA individual champion.